Juventus sack head coach Maurizio Sarri after Champions League elimination

Juventus have sacked Maurizio Sarri as their head coach after the club crashed out of UEFA Champions League on August 8. Juventus managed to win the second leg 2-1 in Round of 16 but Lyon proceeded for the quarterfinals based on the away-goal rule. Hours after Juventus were eliminated, the club announced that Sarri has been relieved of his post as coach of the First Team.

“The club would like to thank the coach for having written a new page in Juventus' history with the victory of the ninth-consecutive championship, the culmination of a personal journey that led him to climb all the divisions of Italian football,” the statement read.

Christiano Ronaldo scored two goals in the decisive game but Memphis Depay’s goal in the 12th minute proved far too many for the Italian club. Juventus chairman Andrea Agnelli expressed disappointment after the elimination from the Champions League, calling the year “bittersweet”. He said that the club obtained a great result with the ninth successive championship.

“Sarri went from the lowest categories to the top of Italy and wrote a historical page in Italian football,” said Agnelli after the game.

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Ronaldo: Pillar of Juventus

The 44-year-old chairman said that the Champions League was earlier a dream which later became an objective and going out the tournament is disappointing for everyone. Calling Ronaldo "pillar of Juventus", Agnelli said that the team has great players and the best player in Champions League history. He asserted that the team needs a “cold and lucid analysis”, knowing that in a few weeks they will start from scratch and will have to do it with the same enthusiasm and desire to win.

“This year we have changed a lot, and this can lead to difficulties, but we have overcome them by winning the ninth consecutive championship. It is even hard to say 'nine championships' in a row and we must be proud of this,” he added.

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